LINTHICUM, Md. -- CIENA Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN) today announced that Sprint Corp. (NYSE: FON) has selected CIENA's optical switching solutions to enable the carrier to more cost-effectively operate its international network. Sprint has purchased and deployed CIENA's CoreDirector(tm) intelligent optical core switch in more than 20 cities in its international network, and has placed orders for CIENA's MetroDirector K2(tm) metro switch for deployment this summer. The combination of those two products - next-generation CIENA equipment- allows Sprint to consolidate the functions of three network elements, thus realizing significant cost savings in capital spending and operations, and improved network efficiency. That efficiency and associated cost savings is the hallmark of CIENA's LightWorks(tm) network architecture. Sprint has initially deployed CIENA's CoreDirector systems to provide optical switching, broadband digital cross connect system (BDCS) and add/drop multiplexing (ADM) functions integrated in a single network element. This efficiency - combining the functionality of three network elements into one system - is the cornerstone of CIENA's LightWorks architecture, and saves carriers significant capital and operating costs. Once deployed, the MetroDirector K2 will provide international service aggregation in Sprint's U.S. core central offices, further enhancing the efficiencies afforded by Sprint's CoreDirector network. "Sprint continues to prove it knows how to apply innovations in technology to significantly improve services and the economics of running a global fiber-optic network," said Gary Smith, president and chief executive officer of CIENA. "We're pleased that our relationship with Sprint has developed to that of strategic vendor, as we work together to build one of the most efficient, flexible and scalable intelligent optical service networks." Ciena Corp. Sprint Corp.